The recovery of Isack Hadjar still needs a bit more time and Red Bull maintains its decision not to rush the timelines. The French driver will miss this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, which will take place in Madrid, marking his third consecutive absence since suffering a wrist fracture.
This Monday, the Austrian team confirmed that Liam Lawson will drive the RB22 again alongside Max Verstappen, while Yuki Tsunoda will continue with Racing Bulls. The decision was officially communicated by the energy drinks team, which explained: "The decision has been made while Isack's recovery continues to progress positively. Although he is still not ready to return to the cockpit, he will be in Madrid supporting the team".
During the holidays, Hadjar fractured his left wrist while practicing boxing, an activity that is part of his regular physical preparation. The issue forced him to miss the Dutch Grand Prix, where Lawson was moved to the main team and Tsunoda took his place in the satellite team.
Two weeks later, Red Bull also did not want to take risks in Monza and kept the same lineup during the Italian Grand Prix. With only a few days between that race and the event in Madrid, the Frenchman's return already seemed like a complicated possibility. In that regard, Laurent Mekies, the team principal, had warned that returning to compete on the new Madring circuit would be difficult for Hadjar. Ultimately, the situation was confirmed, and the driver will have to wait for another date to return.
With this new change, Lawson will have one more opportunity with the main team after a previous stint with Red Bull that lasted only two races at the beginning of 2025. The New Zealander took advantage of his return in Zandvoort and finished seventh, although he could not replicate that result in Monza. There, a penalty related to the engine affected his race and prevented him from scoring points (14th).
For his part, Tsunoda will extend his temporary return as a starter. Although in the Netherlands he was just shy of scoring points (11th), in Italy he achieved his first point (10th) of the season by finishing tenth. However, the Japanese driver could still face consequences for that performance, as Audi is considering appealing the decision of the stewards not to penalize him for a maneuver that allegedly caused an additional formation lap.
When will Colapinto return to racing
After a bittersweet Italian Grand Prix, the native of Pilar will seek to recover emotionally next week at the Spanish Grand Prix. Action at the debutant Madring will kick off next Friday, September 11 with the first free practices and will conclude with the main race on Sunday, September 13.
Schedule for the Spanish GP
Friday, September 11
